ANimal rescues #1 : blazing courage

REVIEWS ​Children's LiteratureThis book in the “Animal Rescues” series begins with Annie, the story’s narrator, about to buy a horse of her own in a Colorado auction. She has worked hard for over a year in the stables to earn enough money. Her stable manager, Jack, is beside her, instructing her in what to do and when. Young readers will follow her through every step until she brings the horse to her stable and begins the arduous task of training the wild animal. Annie learns how to calm a wild mustang and teach her to obey. First she names her, and then the slow period of training begins. Throughout the many weeks and months, she has to keep reading and listening to Jack, in order to learn from her mistakes. Annie knows that patience will bring rewards. Jack advises her to “train her gentle and she’ll be your friend for life.” Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, there is another young woman with a horse at the same stable in competition with Annie, and she has more money to spend than Annie has. How can Annie afford to ignore her? When Annie decides to rush the training, she discovers that it brings harsh consequences. Lots of excitement that horse lovers will discover and appreciate. An “About the Author” page reveals that Halls did adopt a wild mustang and won many ribbons with the horse. The story captures Annie’s enthusiasm for horses, and also describes accurately what it means to train a wild horse. Reviewer: Enid Portnoy; Ages 10 to 13.Booklist

Blazing Courage.Halls, Kelly Milner (Author)Nov 2015. 96 p. Lerner/Darby Creek, hardcover, $25.32. (9781467772198).Working hard for the Top Tier stable pays off for Annie when she is able to buy her own horse, a small buckskin mare she names Poco. With the assistance of Jack Manley, the manager of the stable, she is training Poco to wear a saddle and bridle and accept a rider. Annie is in seventh heaven until another, very valuable horse goes missing. The horse does eventually return, but he is seriously injured. After that, the stable catches fire, and Annie is instrumental in saving most of the horses. In the aftermath, all loose ends are tied up, and the people responsible for the fire are caught. The plot is elegant in its simplicity while also keeping up a compelling pace, and the characters are convincing and well drawn with subtle complexity. With an accessible, straightforward first-person narrative, this high/low title will be a good selection for struggling readers. Annie’s heartening connection with horses and the nicely crafted narrative, however, would make this appealing for anyone who enjoys a good horse story.— Donna Scanlon

Book 1 in the Animal Rescues series tells the story of a home-schooled teen and the wild mustang she buys. Fourteen-year-old Annie works at Top Tier Stable, an upscale barn in Colorado, and saves up her tips to buy a horse of her own. At the auction she attends with Jack, the stable manager, Jack bids on an unbroken 4-year-old mare to keep it from being acquired by the Butcher, a woman reputed to resell horses for dog food. Annie names the mare Poco and under Jack's tutelage, learns to train her with kindness and trust. Meanwhile, she tries to ignore the jibes of the obnoxious Peggy, a girl about Annie's age who boards an expensive horse at the stable. Jack tells Annie that Peggy has problems of her own, but Annie is disbelieving until she sees it for herself. When Peggy's valuable thoroughbred goes missing, Annie and Jack begin to suspect foul play. Halls writes in a brisk, competent style, and Annie's present-tense narration is straightforward. Themes of initiative and understanding are presented skillfully if fairly predictably. With the exception of an implausible decision near the end inserted for tension (why wait hours to check the surveillance footage after a valuable horse has been lost?), the story wraps up satisfyingly, with a bit of a twist regarding the Butcher. Uncomplicated reading done well. (Fiction. 9-14)

Kelly Milner Halls has just debuted the beginning of a fun new series. Her Blazing Courage: Animal Rescues #1 (Darby Creek Publishing) is more than just action-packed fiction about a girl getting her first horse.

The book is a milestone for Kelly. Check out her Wonders of Weird website. You’ll see a career stressing non-fiction. She’s transferred that NF talent to write a taut, thrilling tale, making every word count. Her dialog sparkles. She concludes her book with a two-page summary of the REAL fire that almost consumed two dozen horses.

Like her main character, Kelly raised a wild Mustang as a girl. Plus, she still collects Breyer horses. How do you make the jump from non-fiction to fiction, finding the ability to do both well? Some might advise to write what you know. Or, you could follow Kelly’s model: write what you LOVE.

I like that that story is not only narrated in first person, but in present tense no less! I used to hate present tense, but after writing a manuscript or two in it myself, I have come to appreciate the immediacy it lends to a tale, and the sense of urgency that can be felt, especially when it comes to scenes of action, which is the kind of scene I'm sure a book like Blazing Courage is full of.

I also love that this first page really captures everything I hope to see in an opening. There is action, and even dialog from two characters whose relationship we can immediately understand, but it also vividly describes a scene in a way that allows me to clearly picture it, and ground myself in a setting that feels at once authentic and believable.

I can almost smell the horses and taste the dust in the air.

Karen Edmundson, Teacher/LibrarianKaty, Texas

"It should be no surprise to fans of author Kelly Milner Halls' nonfiction books that her first novel-length fiction is rich in specific detail about rescue animals. It was a pleasant surprise to see her turn out such a compelling story. Fourteen year old Annie carries with her the same internal dialogue as most--am I good enough, smart enough, pretty enough...worthy? Her rescue of a wild mustang otherwise destined for a dog food factory ends up turning into her own rescue as she learns her own worth. Milner Halls doesn't disappoint her nonfiction fans with the explanation at the end of the story about the truth behind the fiction. (Note to teachers--this is a great teachable moment about turning a personal narrative into a narrative.) Fast-pace with limited distractions makes this a perfect book for grades 5-8, and even older, reluctant readers. Looking forward to the next ones!"

"Kelly’s love of a great, true story inspired Blazing Courage, her debut fiction book and the first title in the new Animal Rescues series from Darby Creek. The next title, Dive into Danger is due out in spring 2016. Blazing Courage was positively reviewed by Kirkus Reviews, which said, “Halls writes in a brisk, competent style. The story wraps up satisfyingly, with a bit of a twist. Uncomplicated reading done well.” The story of a fourteen-year-old girl who ends up adopting an unbroken, four-year-old mare when she attends a horse auction with the stable manager, Blazing Courage is designed to appeal to reluctant readers but also offers compelling reading for horse lovers, fans of great storytelling, and readers of all levels. Dive into Danger is about a swimming-phobic World of Warcraft player who helps his dad rescue a whale."

"Young horse lovers will soon become fans of Annie and her wild little Buckskin Mustang, Poco. This is a great inspirational tale for the youngest of horse lovers, especially those who dream of owning their own horse. This is the first in the series, “Animal Rescues,” a series that is obviously geared toward the reluctant reader. The tale moved right along and Annie was definitely a young gal with a lot of gumption and appeal. She’s sensitive, like many fourteen-year-old girls, but is willing to work hard to get what she wants. There’s a bit of mystery and enough action to make this one a page-turner, especially for the youngster who collects Breyer horses and is a dreamer just like Annie."

Excerpt -- Animal rescues: blazing courage

Chapter One: The Auction “Wait!” I yell. Jack Manley, my stable manager is walking so fast I can hardly see him through the dust. Hundreds of hooves can do that – raise a sand storm in a stadium -- especially when every hoof is up for auction. “Keep up, Annie!” he bellows in his gruff cowboy voice. “Do you want that mare or not?” It is hard to believe the day has finally come. After lifetime of collecting Breyer horses and Kathleen Duey novels, after thirteen months of cleaning tack and shoveling manure, I am about to buy a horse – as much horse as my $206 savings can get me; more horse than I’ve ever had before. The United States government takes care of miles and miles of open wilderness that is home to wild horses. When the herds get too big, they round a few up and sell them to the highest bidders. Jack had been studying the Colorado round-up horses for days to pick the right one for me. “My choice is an appaloosa,” he says over his shoulder, “sixteen hands of spotted awesome. We should be able to get her for a song, if you get the lead out of your boots.” Jack’s stride is so much longer than mine, it’s hard to keep up. He is fast for an old guy and tall, but it’s hard to tell. Fifty years of rodeo takes its toll. Break enough bones and you wind up crooked. I top out at five feet. I’m short enough to be a jockey, but too heavy; pleasingly plump, a boy told me. So what? Horses don’t care what you look like. Hundreds of people fill the arena seats, most holding bidder’s numbers. Our number is 1206 – my birthday. Jack says that’s a good sign. Only a hundred horses fill the red pipe corrals on the far end of the dirt arena floor. Some of the animals seem calm. Others, not so much. Jack explains the calm horses will go for more money because they’ve been green broken. “They’ve been sweet talked,” Jack says with a wink. “They don’t think you’re going to eat them and they’re rider ready.” Then his smile disappears. “What?” I say. “She’s here,” Jack replies. “The Butcher.” Most of the people have turned out to buy riding horses cheap. Everyone from dude ranchers who give tourists a thrill to top trainers – all shopping for equestrian bargains. The best horses will go to them, but what about the rest? “She’ll buy a bunch of them,” Jack growls. “She’ll ship them to China and they’ll come back as dog food.”

My own little buckskin wild horse, little bit. how i loved her!

Animal rescues: dive into danger

Reviews

Kirkus Review

The second book in the middle-grade Animal Rescues series explores a boy’s adolescent insecurities and his uncomfortable relationship with his father.Fourteen-year-old Austin, overweight and nicknamed Pudge, is an animal lover, good student, and enthusiastic “World of Warcraft” gamer. His mother left when he was young, and his father, a biologist for the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, thinks “video games are a waste of energy.” When Austin is caught gaming during school hours and suspended for two days, his father takes him to work, where they row out into the bay to survey whales. There, they encounter a humpback whale badly entangled in a fishing net, and Austin finds the real-life courage to swim next to the whale and cut her free, earning his father’s respect. An odd scene occurs when Austin, too out-of-shape to heave himself back into the boat, simply allows himself to begin to drift away while carrying on an imaginary conversation with a gamer-girl he met previously online—it’s unclear whether Halls intends this passive acceptance of possible death as a commentary on role-playing games. Despite this moment of confusion, though, readers will empathize with Austin’s first-person, present-tense narration as he sorts through the challenges of finding his own strengths and convictions.​Aimed toward a sensitive adolescent male audience, this story has a straightforward, interesting plot and simple, clear language. (Adventure. 9-14)

Children's Literature - Sandra Eichelberger

Second in the “Animal Rescues” series, Dive Into Danger follows Austin (a.k.a. Pudge, because of his bigger size). Austin does not like the nickname he’s been given, and it especially hurts when his father uses it in place of his real name. Pudge’s mother abandoned the family years before, and it is just Austin and his dad, living almost separate lives from each other. Dad seems disappointed that his son prefers his personal living space in the basement playing video games rather than going outdoors and engaging in physical activity. After all, he spends his days working outdoors for a marine conservation center, monitoring whales. Pudge loves to become his gaming avatar and fight online. When he gets in trouble for playing his game during school hours, he is suspended and is forced to go to work with his father. It’s there that he must find the courage to try to save a creature in trouble. Halls spends most of this fast read exploring Pudge’s online activity and gaming. Unfortunately, the animal rescue is too brief and underplayed. Children who like gaming will thrill to read about a boy who comes alive in his alternate reality but since this series focuses on saving animals, that storyline should have a greater presence. Despite that, reluctant readers, gamers, and even animal lovers should find the book appealing. Reviewer: Sandra Eichelberger; Ages 8 to 12.

My daughter Vanessa Halls, also a fiction writer, helped me keep the WoW scenes accurate and inspired the character PomPom.

Excerpt

CHAPTER ONE: Sunday - Once a Pudge, Always a Pudge

In my dreams, I swim
like an orca. Sleek. Powerful. Fearless. Then I wake up.
It’s not that I can’t swim. I do
okay in a pool. But toss me into the Pacific Ocean and I panic. There’s no way
to tell what’s swimming next to you. A dolphin and a shark look alike until
it’s too late to escape. Most people get that, but my dad? Not so much.
“There’s
a world beyond that basement,” he says again and again. And he’s a biologist
for the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. He could literally write a book
about the world beyond my world. “You could be so much more than you are,” he
says. But all I can hear is, “You’re not good enough.” And all I can think is,
“He’s right.”
It’s not his fault. He was born to
be a tan, aquatic giant with both brawn and brain. I was born to be Pudge. That’s
what he calls me. It started as my mom’s nickname for a fat little toddler and
it stuck—even after she left us. I doubt Dad even remembers my name is Austin.
Most days, I push past his
disappointment. He lives upstairs, I live in the basement. He leaves for work at
six am. I wake up at seven for school. We only chat at dinner—small talk.
“How
was your day?”
“Did
we get any mail?”
If
my weight comes up, the peace is shattered, so it doesn’t come up. Silence
takes its place.
“Better
hit the books,” he says when things get awkward. So I head down for the night. He
thinks homework is hard for me, but it’s not. I may be fat, but I’m not stupid.
Forty minutes and all the assignments I didn’t finish at school are done. Then I’m
free to play World of Warcraft, my favorite video game—as long as he doesn’t
know about it.
“Video
games are a waste of energy,” he says, “illusions to distract you from real
life.” He said the same thing about my art and my mother’s dream of being a singer.
I respectfully disagree. Drawing keeps me focused. Every doodle helps me learn.
And RPGs—role playing games--are my
life. When I play WoW, I’m the guy he wants me to be.
I
haven’t been playing WoW long, but when I sign on to the game from my laptop, I
am transformed. I am Hippocrates, an undead zombie priest and healer, reanimated
by the power of a banshee queen. And while I’m a beginner now, I have a goal. I
want to level up and earn a spot in one of the most prestigious guilds in the
game—the Dead Druid Society. I am committed.
I
check my friend list and see my best friend Duffy is already logged in. His handsome blood elf character Cyrano is bounding across
a tropical landscape, flirting with any player he thinks is a girl.
As I
watch, a conversation bubble appears on the colorful play screen.
“Cyrano
greets Briar Rose.”
Briar
Rose runs from my friend. “Your loss,” he types.
Another
bubble opens.
“Cyrano
greets Silver Star.”
Silver
Star waves, then mounts her skeletal horse to gallop away.
“Not
getting much play,” I type in a private message. “Did you brush those elven
teeth before you hit the game, or are you rocking corn chips?”
Duffy
types LOL then Skypes me so we can talk. “I gargled with vodka,” he says. “Does
that count, Pudge?”
Duffy
is only fourteen. He doesn’t drink and neither do I. There’s no way he’s gargled
with alcohol. But I let the fiction slide because I get why he said it. In an RPG,
you can pretend to be someone you’re not without getting hurt; like trying on a
pair of Jordans you could never afford.
“Ready
to rumble?” he asks, and I say yes. If we want to level up, we’ll have to master
this five person dungeon and a stack of quests and other missions. But Duffy loves to do battle. I’ll fight enemies,
too, but I’m not the warrior he is. In fact, I’m hoping to search for herbs
after the fight. I’ll need ingredients to make powerful healing potions.
A troll
warlock waits with us. She swings her staff. Her faithful pet leaps and sways,
anxious for the battle to begin. Weird how pushing a few buttons can make you
feel pumped. But no one can play until two more important players join the group.
When
two other players finally join us, the healer and the tank come together—probably
friends like Duffy and me. Duff lets out a little whistle. “Check out the Pandaren
tank,” he says. “She’s decked out in heirlooms. We’re in good hands.”
“Heirlooms?”
I ask, turning to inspect the little panda’s gear.
“Expensive
hand-me-downs from a more experienced character,” he says. “PomPom2 may look
new like us, but the person playing her has chops. Let’s do this!”
Without
hesitation, the tank enters first to draw the enemy fire. The sheer chaos would
slaughter a lesser player, but PomPom2 is fearless. She shines with confidence,
so I settle back to watch her work.
A
conversation bubble appears. “Keep a safe distance and watch out for acid,” she
warns Duffy.
“It’s
not my first rodeo,” he types, then runs past her yelling, “Die, you scumbags!”
No one is surprised when he slips in a puddle of the fluorescent ooze she warned
him about.
“Welcome
to the rodeo,” she types, and I can’t help laughing.
“LOL,”
I type. “My friend got slimed and schooled.”
Duffy
complains, but I don’t care. Because PomPom2 is smiling.
Then
I notice—his health bar is shrinking so his battle and this life is about to be
over. I worry, but the other healer is watching, too. Just as Duffy starts
to fade, he gracefully raises his healing arms and a pulsing stream of green
light bursts from his fingertips. Duffy is enveloped and, in an instant, his health
is restored.
Renewed,
his war cries sound more dangerous than ever. But there’s nothing truly
ferocious about Duffy or any of us.
People
think gaming causes real life violence, but it’s not true. Video games keep our
inner beasts in check—the same way green plastic army men did when we were
little. When we tossed those little guys off the roof, we weren’t learning how to
kill people. We were learning to think. It’s the same with RPGs.
“You
nearly bought the farm, Duff,” I say.
“You
know it, Pudge,” he answers, “but that hot little tank was unstoppable. And did
you see that healer? Holy jeez, he was amazing.”
“Yeah,”
I whisper. “He really was. And I want to be just like him.”
“You
will be,” Duff says without a trace of sarcasm. “It’s your destiny.”
I
feel a lump in my throat. Yeah, I kind of love that guy.
That
night, I dream of my destiny the minute my head hits the pillow. And a Pandaren
girl named PomPom is standing right beside me.

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